Pravin Togadia demands Bharat Ratna for Bal Thackeray, Ashok Singhal for their role in Ayodhya agitation

Hindutva leader Pravin Togadia on Monday demanded Bharat Ratna award for Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and VHP chief Ashok Singhal posthumously for playing an important role in the agitation for the construction of a temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.

Hindutva leader Pravin Togadia on Monday demanded Bharat Ratna award for Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and VHP chief Ashok Singhal posthumously for playing an important role in the agitation for the construction of a temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Addressing a press conference, Togadia also demanded the highest civilian honour for Mahant Ramchandra Paramahans and Mahant Avidyanath.

"Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, late VHP president Ashok Singhal, Mahant Ramchandra Paramahans and Mahant Avidyanath had played an important role in the Ram Mandir agitation. Therefore, the government should honour these four with Bharat Ratna," said Togadia, international president of the Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP). He also demanded compensation for the families of ''700 farmers who died'' during the protest against the Centre's three farm laws and accused the BJP-led Union government of enacting these laws (now repealed) to benefit select businessmen. Taking a dig at the BJP-led government, Togadia said it is fine that a temple of Lord Ram is being constructed in Ayodhya but there is no Ramrajya (rule of Lord Ram) in the country where one crore people are homeless and 19 crore people are starving. When asked about the renewed demands for reclaiming the birthplace of Lord Krishna in Mathura and Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanwapi mosque title dispute in Varanasi, Togadia said BJP should enact necessary laws as it enjoys an absolute majority in Parliament.

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